Unkrich was raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. His father Bob Unkrich, a World War II Veteran "He stormed the beach at Normandy." and artist, who later converted to his mothers religion, is originally from a family of German-Catholic descent, whereas his mother is from a Jewish background. He spent his youth acting at The Cleveland Play House. Unkrich graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in 1990.